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FYI: Jazz Guitar Basics - Part Two is available NOW at my ebay store, along with my original backing tracks for jazz standards and legendary rock guitar anthems such as "Comfortably Numb", "Cliffs Of Dover", "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" and more. Jazz Guitar Basics – Parts Three and Four are in the works!

My ebay store also has the first three installments of "Jazz Guitar Soloing – 12 Bar Jazz/Blues" which includes mp3s, quicktime video clips, and rehearsal tracks. Here’s a few samples from the “Soloing” lessons:

This is an mp3 of What You'll Learn To Play in Jazz Guitar Soloing – 12 Bar Jazz/Blues – Part 1.

And here is a quicktime video clip sample showing How You'll Learn To Play It

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Background Info:

I've been playing blues, rock and little jazz on-and-off since my teens – though mostly off as I built a career and raised a family. About eight years ago, [I'm 51 now] it stuck me that I owned a lovely herd of very nice guitars, but rarely touched them.

Oh NO!!! I realized was no longer a guitar player - I was just [ouch!] a guitar collector. I had become one of those “old dudes” I used to rail against in my youth – the ones who owned a bunch of killer guitars and never even played them. [double-ouch]

My chops were rusty and I’d not learned anything new in years. I began to long for that incredible passion I once felt when I held a guitar in my hands. I especially missed the magic of performing in front of a live audience.

So I decided to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

I reclaimed my identity as a guitarist and a musician - and set out on a personal quest to become the fine jazz guitarist I’ve always imagined I could be.

I tried the “jazz guitar method” approach, purchasing hundreds of dollars worth of books, CDs and DVDs. They did not work for me. So… I invented my own approach to learning [teaching myself] jazz guitar.

I'm not there yet... but I’m definitely on my way! And for someone who's self-taught, plays "by ear" and doesn't read music, I've evolved much farther and much faster than I imagined possible just a few years ago.

Please click HERE to hear a "state of the chops" report in mp3 format.

I’m now playing solo jazz gigs in local pubs, coffee shops, restaurants, elderly care facilities and county clubs. I perform chord-melody ballads, and play cool melodies and hot solos over jazz standards backed up by swingin’ backing tracks I produce [from scratch] here in my Protools-based studio.

Everything you hear in the “state of the chops” mp3 are my own arrangements. And that’s how I sound when gigging… just a lot louder. And as ALL guitarists know, louder = better. [grin]

I gig with a JVC Kaboom [think - boombox on steroids] for my backing tracks, and a small amp. My guitar is the central voice in a swinging trio, quartet or big band pumping out killer jazz tunes.

There is NOTHING quite as cool as playing live jazz for people who LOVE jazz.

Are you intrigued by the idea of playing jazz gigs? Or, would you like to build your jazz chops just for your own enjoyment? If the answer's "yes", I can and will help you get there! Please read on and I’ll show you how!

I've created an ebay store called "learnjazzguitar" to provide you with the tools and lessons you'll need to begin or advance your journey as a jazz guitarist.

At learnjazzguitar on ebay, you’re going to find easy-to-understand, step-by-step lessons in jazz guitar theory, soloing and chord comping techniques. You’ll also find chord-melody arrangements; stereo backing tracks for rehearsal and performance; tons of great tips and tricks, and more.

My materials will be EMAILED TO YOU -- no waiting for snail-mail. Plus, I will answer your questions via email or phone as you work with the materials. Interactive? You betcha! And soon, I plan to offer live lessons via webcam.

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THIS AUCTION represents the first step in a journey – your journey as a jazz musician, and also my journey as a teacher. There’s an old saying that goes: “those who can, do – those who can’t, teach”. Well folks, I am going to violate that saying, because I am a jazz guitarist first, and a jazz guitar teacher second. And ultimately, I too am a humble student of jazz guitar – and I always will be. I just happen to be a few steps ahead of you on the learning curve – and I find great joy in sharing what I have learned.

WHO ARE MY LESSONS DESIGNED FOR?

My lessons are designed for guitarists who've had a life-long love affair with guitars and guitar music, and who've been playing [on-and-off] for most of their lives.

For us, there's something magical about the guitar that pulls us in as relentlessly as gravity. This "something" stops us dead in our tracks whenever we hear a tasty guitar solo – and makes us wince whenever we hear a young wanker butchering "Smoke On The Water" in a guitar shop. [Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Kevorkian]

The guitarists I want to teach will be hip to bar chords, and able to at least play a simple solo over a blues, rock or country tune. No offense intended here… but if your chops top out with strumming the chords to "Puff The Magic Dragon" in the first three frets, then expect to move forward a bit slower than most.

MY TEACHING STRATEGY:

My lessons are designed specifically for guitarist who [like me] have always wanted to play jazz, but have never found the right teacher, or have been turned off by the standard jazz guitar “method” approach.

The GOOD NEWS:

If you’ve ever played blues, rock, or country, you’ve already "paid some dues" and built a solid foundation as a guitarist. YOU ALREADY KNOW a helluva lot more about music than you might give yourself credit for!

You’ve ALREADY EARNED and LEARNED:

Even if your chops have collected twenty years of rust, your "foundation" as a guitarist is still with you. I’ve designed my lessons to build upon what you already know, just as I built my own jazz chops upon the same foundation.

My approach to teaching breaks down the art of playing jazz guitar into bite-sized "chunks" presented in common-sense language. Each lesson includes fretboard diagrams, mp3 "how to" examples along with cool backing tracks for rehearsing. Quicktime video clips will be a standard feature in most lessons. Video clips are not exactly the same as my being in the same room with you, but it’s pretty close. Plus, you can use these clips to have me show you over and over how to play something… whenever you like.

Practicing scales with a metronome gets old pretty quick. Rehearsing cool jazz lines over my swingin' backing tracks is an entirely different experience. Being able to "sit in" and rehearse with a hot jazz trio [hip walking bass, in-the-pocket drums] is a blast! Don’t be surprised if you actually look forward to learning and rehearsing new material.

My rehearsal tracks are unique because I include slow, medium and fast versions for each set of chord changes so you can build up your speed naturally.

I design my lessons as a series of sequential, self-contained "chunks" for three important reasons:

1. I recognize that every guitarist reading this will [like me] have limited and varying amounts of free time to invest. Providing you with lesson "chunks" will let you learn at your own pace and on your own schedule. It won't matter if you take a day, a week or a month to master a specific technique, song, solo or arrangement. When you’re finished with one "chunk", the next one will be here waiting for you... whenever you're ready.

2. I know that every guitarist reading this will bring a unique set of chops and musical experience to the party. You'll be able to pick and choose which "chunks" are right for you at this point in your musical development. And again, my money back guarantee applies to EVERYTHING.

3. My "chunks" approach means you won't have to buy into an expensive course of study loaded with stuff you already know... and even more stuff you may never want to know. Why pay for a five-course meal if all you really want is pie and a cup of coffee? I'm betting that my pie and coffee will put a big smile on your face, so you'll be back for a sandwich later on.

EVERYTHING I OFFER at my ebay store will cost between two and six dollars. Never more. Period.

This includes my original, full-length, pro-quality stereo backing tracks I gig with; chord-melody arrangements; lessons in jazz guitar theory, jazz guitar soloing and comping techniques; rehearsal tips and tricks, and much more.

I want to keep the cost low so that if you are truly ready to evolve as a guitarist and jazz musician, then the price will not be an issue. I believe that by creating premium-quality, high-value materials and selling them ridiculously cheap, I'll have tons of return customers [eventually] and be fairly compensated over time.

My teaching materials are based on the "Distance Learning" model -- using electronic media to instruct or distribute knowledge at a distance. My profession includes explaining complex technical systems and concepts to non-technical people, so I have some solid teaching and training chops under my belt. That said, this approach to teaching is very new for me, so your feedback is a vital element of my growth as a teacher.

I should mention that I am NO Berkley or Julliard grad. Nope! I’m entirely self-taught, and I’ve learned to play jazz guitar the traditional way... by spending countless hours listening to jazz recordings and figuring out solos, chord progressions and arrangements by my favorite jazz guitarists: Charlie Christian, Joe Pass, Johnny Smith, George Barnes, Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, George Van Eps, Bucky Pizarelli... all those "old school" cats. [FYI: as a jazz musician, you'll earn the right to say "cat" and "hip" with authority man! Can you dig it?]

And lately, I have been learning solos by sax players Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz and Paul Desmond, and pianists Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson. Sax and piano jazz lines sound wickedly cool on guitar!

But I've never been satisfied just learning HOW to play something new. I've always been compelled to figure out WHY a solo or chord change works so well.... WHY it sounds so damned cool... and WHY it flows so smoothly from one moment into the next. In doing this, I’ve discovered many "secrets" and undocumented techniques that master jazz musicians employ to play so gracefully and fluidly. This is good stuff!

The jazz theory I've learned [and will teach you] is NOT a dry by-the-book “method”. This is meat-and-potatoes, fingers-on-strings JAZZ GUITAR theory I’ve learned by PLAYING JAZZ GUITAR… not by reading about playing jazz guitar.

Jazz “method” books and the Modes’nScalesR’Us approach has never worked for me. That stuff is "interesting”, but it always leave me bored and uninspired. Maybe it’s because I’m a life-long "ear" player – or perhaps my brain leans more toward the melodic than the cerebral.

My self-learning style is different, and that’s reflected in my teaching style. I don’t have much interest in “pure” theory… only applied theory that I can USE – that’s what excites me.

The theory you’ll be learning will be presented in a straightforward, common sense, guitar-focused manner – usually as part of learning a song or specific technique or style. PLUS, you’ll always have relevant backing tracks for you to PLAY along with. So you'll not only "get it" intellectually, but MUSICALLY as well.

Here’s a sample of jazz guitar theory from Jazz Guitar Basics — Part Two:

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The following examples demonstrate three [of seven] effective techniques for transitioning from a I chord [G] to a IV chord [C7th]. Note: listen to what’s happening musically just before, during and just after the chord change:

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These examples are part of my discussion of what I call the "Second Most Important Secret of Jazz Soloing". Can you hear what’s going on musically inside each of these examples? Can you hear the "Second Secret" common-thread they share? [aint I a tease?] You will be surprised to learn how simple and easy it is to employ these technique during a solo.

Woody Herman once said "learn all your chords and scales, then forget all that sh+t and PLAY". Woody's advice is a good starting point, but it does not go far enough.

I believe that time spent PLAYING jazz tunes is an essential part of the learning process. It’s not enough to just learn the theory, licks and chords. You gotta APPLY IT in real-life musical contexts to really understand and internalize all this ummm.... stuff. The very best way to turn theory into useful technique is through hands-on experience! To really dig it... you gotta do it! There is no substitute!

FYI: I’m not a professional guitarist. I have a family and day-job, and I’ll never play as well as Jimmy Bruno or Pat Martino. And that’s cool, because the only comparison that matters to me is how well I play today versus how I played a month ago. Ultimately, it is ALL about whether I play music that puts a smile on MY face… and hopefully does the same for those who hear me play.

If you are intrigued by what I’ve presented here, you can purchase Jazz Guitar Basics 101 - Part One directly from this auction, or you can click HERE to make the purchase from my ebay store and check out my backing tracks and other lessons.

After your first purchase, I will advise you by email when new lessons, backing tracks, and other chunks become available.

Now, let’s get to some mp3 FREEBIES!

IMPORTANT NOTE! PLEASE download all mp3s [right-click for PC and option-click for Mac] an save them in an easy-to-find folder on your hard drive, rather than playing them repeatedly online. My ISP thanks you.

Last of all… you just GOTTA hear this song!

I've included "I Never Knew" for two reasons. First, this is the VERY FIRST song that sparked my interest in jazz guitar at age sixteen. I'd not heard it in thirty years until I found it again a few months ago. This song STILL inspires me, and perhaps it will inspire you as well. And second, I want you to understand that while I’m inviting YOU to pay some dues to improve your playing… I am doing it too because I AM going to master this tune and PLAY IT LIVE come hell or high water!

You see, we are both on the same path … I’m just a bit farther along. The learning never stops… and for me, that’s the coolest part.

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Ok… here’s the bottom line – that invitation and challenge I spoke of:

STOP READING!

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[five minutes later]

Now ask yourself… "Am I truly satisfied with my guitar playing –- and am I willing to accept that this is how I will be playing guitar five years from now?"

If your answer is "no", then I’m INVITING YOU to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

If playing jazz guitar is something you’ve always dreamed of doing, and you’re ready to walk the walk, then it’s time to get your ass in gear! [that ole clock is not going to stop ticking y’know]

Becoming a jazz guitarist is not a destination but a fascinating, life-long journey of discovery and growth. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be moving into the ultimate in guitar-coolness.

BUT LISTEN UP AND BE FOREWARNED:

There are tons of guitarists on this planet… and relatively few of them are jazz guitarists. There’s a good reason for this!

Playing jazz on the guitar AINT EASY!!!! [duh]

It will require a LOT of time, patience, focus and determination to become proficient. Instant gratification? Forget about it! You are going to SUCK at playing jazz in the beginning. Welcome to the club! I sucked…. Wes sucked… Miles sucked … Bird sucked… EVERYBODY sucks at first! The first goal is not to play well, but to suck less!!! [grin] Fortunately, it DOES get a LOT easier as you go along – everything you learn [technique, knowledge, timing, etc] is additive. Each new bit you add and master makes the next new bit easier.

With that said:

You need to thoughtfully consider whether you’re ready to grow beyond the guitarist you are now, and evolve into the jazz guitarist you’ve always wanted to be.

Here’s my list of "gotta have" requirements: [please consider these carefully]

I’ll help you with that last one – that’s why I’m here!

But if you’re missing even one of the other prerequisites, you may very well end up frustrated and disappointed. [jeez... sounds like I'm trying to talk you out of it. Am I a master saleman or what?]

It will cost you three dollars to find out if what I have to teach is what you want to learn.

And NOW, to wind up this long winded auction/blog, I'm going to gird my loins [I don't know what the hell that means - but always wanted to use it in a sentence] and do battle with the forces of mediocrity for your very musical SOUL!

[Since I'm going over-the-top anyway - here's a soundtrack to accompany this epic battle <bgsound src=http://www.learnjazzguitarnow.com/jazz/epicbattle.mp3 loop="0"> ]

I’m CHALLENGING YOU to reconsider the assumptions you've made about your own potential [and limitations] as a guitarist.

If you accept my invitation and my challenge, I will honored to teach you what I know about playing jazz guitar. Plus, I’m continually growing as a jazz musician and guitarist… and that's NOT going to end. In this process, I will also become a better teacher... and I want to be the best teacher you've ever had!

Are you ready? Let’s do it!

Dennis Turner

Cedarville, Ohio USA